Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-22
The Anarchists Petition Laid Before the
United States Supreme Court.

United States Supreme Court.
lCoPisht, 1887, by the California associated Press
WASHINGTON, October 21st.-GSpecial. i
AT noon to-day every inch of standing
room behind the bar of the Supreme Court
was packed with spectators. 1t had been
stated that the petition of the Chicago
Anarchists for writ of error to save the
lives OF the seven condemned men would
be presented to full Court, Justice Harlan
having declined TO receive the petition in
chambers.
AS the clock over Chief Justice Waite's
seat marked 1905, the lawyers crowded
through the mass of people surrounding
the entrance to the Courtroom, and took
seats behind the long, cloth. covered table
that faces the Bench.
PEN PICTURES OF THE ATTORNEYS.
The first to enter was Benjamin F. But
ler who handed his overcoat to a negro at
tendant after first taking from one of its
capacious pockets a bundle of papers
which, with grunt and bang, he depos-
tied upon the table. Instead of the un-
lighted cigar which he usually carried in
his mouth, he chewed vigorously upon a
piece of tobacco, and the red rose which is
usually 10 be seen in the lapel of his
coat was missing. The occasion was a
uneral, and flowers were not in order.
AT the heels of Butler came Roger
Pryor, of New York, tall, swarthy man,
whose straight, black hair, brushed back
from his forehead, hung in Indian fashion
upon the collar of his black coat Prior
has smooth-shaven face, black eyes, long
aquiline nose, heavy square chin, and an
underlip which he is fond of pushing up
with a peculiar movement of the muscles of
the lower jaw until it nearly meets his
nose.
J. Randolph Tucker, of Virginia, fol-
lowed Pryor, and he stood facing the
Bench, while Pryor shook hands with
Senator Vest, of Missouri. Tucker has a
shock of snow-white hair surmounting his
shapely head, and wears a closely-cropped,
white mustache. HIS complexion is ruddy,
features regular, and pair of twinkling
blue eyes glisten from beneath his heavy
eyebrows. He sat beside Butler.
Captain Black, of Chicago, chief counsel
for the condemned Anarchists land brother
of General Black, Commissioner of Pen
sions), was the next to enter the Court
Unlike Butler, Pryor and Tucker, it was
Blacks first appearance in the Supreme
Court, and he had to be sworn in before he
could be recognized as an attorney. Black
is tall, rawboned man, with somewhat of
a resemblance to Abraham Lincoln. He
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and beard of the same color. His features
are rugged, and his face has kindly, al
though hard expression. He carried on
his arm bundle of papers and printed
copies of the petition for distribution among
the members of the Court.
Following him, and last land least) of the
array OF counsel for the Anarchists, came
Blacks immediate assistant in the defense.
Mr.. Saloman has prououncedly Jewish
features. He is Is short and insignificant
in appearance, weighing apparently about
100 pounds. His smoothly shaved face
shows the ravages of smallpox, and his
beady black eyes glisten just above long,
hooked nose. He sat behind his chief,
and was admitted to practice at the same
time.Captain Black took the oath.
These five gentlemen represented the con-
demned murderers.
THE PETITION PRESENTED.
WASHINGTON, October 21st.-The appli-
cation to the United States Supreme Court
for writ of error in the Chicago Anarch-
lists case was made in open Court shortly
after noon to-day, by General Pryor, in be-
half of the condemned prisoners.
The points upon which he relied to show
that the cases involved Federal questions
which would give this Court jurisdiction
were, first, that the statute of Illinois relat-
ing to the impanelment of juries makes it
possible to try prisoners with partial and
prejudiced jury, as was in fact done in this
case, and that such a statute is obnoxious
to the Federal Constitution and, second,
that the prisoners were compelled to testify
against and criminate themselves, and that
the eliminating evidence against them was
obtained by the police from their privqte
desks without search warrants, in violation
of constitutional provision that man shall
not be deprived of life, etc, without process
of law
The Court directed Pryor to have printed
at once that part of the record which pre-
sents these questions, and have printed
copies ready for submission to the Court
to-day or early tomorrow morning.
Further directions. if necessary, would,
the Chief Justics said, be given on Monday
next.